Jesus Calling

Matthew 11:28—“Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

This text is often preached from, but never too often, since the sorrows with which it deals always abound, and the remedy is always effective.

This time we purpose to view it from our Lord’s side.

He entreats the weary to come to him. He beseeches them to learn of him. He not only receives those who come, but begs them to come.

What is this desire which burns in his bosom? And whence comes it?

Let us carefully consider—

I. WHO IS HE?

1. One who has been rejected, yet he cries “Come unto me.”

2. One whose rejection involves us in fearful guilt, yet he is ready to forgive, and to bestow rest upon us if we come.

3. One who knows his Father’s purpose, but fears not to give a pressing invitation to all who labor and are heavy laden.

4. One who has all power to receive such as come, and to give rest to them all. This is no vain invitation saying more than it means.

5. One who as the Son of God is infinitely blessed, and yet finds new joy in giving rest to poor restless men.

II. WHOM DOES HE CALL, AND WHY?

1. Laborers, with more than they can do: disquieted, unhappy.

   • These he calls to himself that he may give them rest, and cause them to find rest.

2. Heavy laden ones, with more than they can bear: oppressed, sorrowful, ready to die.

3. The poor and illiterate who need to be taught.

4. The spiritually burdened, who much need a helping hand, and can only find it in him.

III. WHAT CAUSES HIS DESIRE FOR THEM?

Not his own need of them.

Not their personal worthiness.

Nor anything that they are or can ever be. But,—

1. He has a love to our race. “My delights were with the sons of men”: Proverbs 8:31. He would have these resting with himself.

2. He is himself a man, and knows the needs of men.

3. He has done so much to buy us rest that he would gladly give it to us.

4. He delights to do more and more for us: it is his joy to give good things to men.

5. He knows what our ruin will be unless we find rest in him.

6. He knows what our bliss will be if we come unto him.

IV. HOW THEN SHALL WE TREAT THIS CALL?

1. It is very earnest, let us heed it.

2. It is very simple, let the poorest seize upon it.

3. It exactly suits us. Does it not suit you?

4. It is very gracious, let us accept it.

Echoes

The most condescending affections that ever he discovered, the most gracious invitations that ever he made, were at those times when he had a sense of his glory in a particular manner, to show his intention in his possessing it. When he spoke of all things delivered to him by his Father, an invitation to men to come unto him is the use he makes of it: Matthew 11:27, 28. If this be the use he makes of his glory, to invite us, it should be the use we should make of the thoughts of it, to accept his offer. A nation should run to him because he is glorified.

—Stephen Charnock.

“Come unto me,” is the invitation of this Blessed One, so intensely human, though so gloriously divine, “Unto me,” in whose arms little children were embraced, on whose bosom a frail mortal lay: “unto me,” who hungered, thirsted, fainted, sorrowed, wept, and yet whose love, and grief, and pains, and tears, wore the expression of emotions felt in the mighty heart of God.—Caird.

Lord, I have invited all,

And I shall

Still invite, still call to you:

For it seems but just and right

In my sight,

Where is all, there all should be.

—George Herbert.

It runs thus—you to me, and I to you. Here is a double communion get up. This is all to our advantage, and to the display of our Lord’s great graciousness. We come, and therein he obtains the company of a beggar, a leper, a patient, a repulsive rebel: this is no gain to anything in him except his pity. But surely he expects something of us to reward him for receiving us? By no means. We are to come to him, not that we may give him something, but that he may give everything to us. What a Lord is this!